I am interested in a new back country GPS. I'll be honest, I am interested in a touchscreen type as I am more familiar now with touchscreen technology than toggle stick. But its not a deal breaker.

I got pretty good with my 2 year old DeLorme pn40, but the learning curve and trip set up was a bit too much for me. Sadly that unit is no longer in working condition.

I'd rather not get another DeLorme. Looking at Garmin, either their Dakota, Colorado, Oregon series. I'll even listen to GPSMAP 60csx. Not interested in eTrex as I still have a Vista from year 2000.

Drop some reviews on me.
P.S. If you know if the unit needs additional map software let me know so I can figure that into the initial cost.

If you don't mind the size and weight the Montana 650 is my favorite so far followed by the Dakota. My only complaint about the Dakota is the screen brightness, but the Montana rules the school so far. If you are looking toward the Dakota for size and weight, you might want to look at the new etrex 30, but I love my touchscreen though.

Montana 650

http://forums.equipped.org/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=228190

Dakota

http://forums.equipped.org/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=178777

Thanks Falcon, I had not seen the Montana before. I am very interested in getting my hand on one.

Considering how happy I am with my Garmin 60cs, I'd look at the 62st.

http://gpstracklog.com/2010/08/garmin-gpsmap-62st-review.html

-john

I have extensive experience with the Garmin 60csx and 62st, and I really like them both. I have been playing with the Delorme Pn-60w and I like the maps, the screen is easy to see in direct sunlight and the interface is very much like the Garmins that I am used to. I think that as long as you get the features you want, you find the one with the form factor and interface you like. They all rely on the same satellite constellation. The newer ones have a very good, more sensitive, sensor.

I have been using a Garmin 60CS since they were released. It has been perfect.

I am going to get the new Garmin 62STC and the appropriate 24K USGS maps. I can't see any other unit that is close.

Yup, experience shared all over the different forums I read clearly agree that Garmin got it right with the GPSMAP 60 series. Rock solid performance that has been tough to beat.

I'd not compare the Vista of 2000 with the Vista HCx on the market today.

I really like the new Garmin 62 series.

Take a look at www.gpstracklog.com and select their buyer's guide on the top banner. Good info on GPS selection.

Best of luck on your search.

Blake
www.outdoorquest.blogspot.com
www.outdoorquest.biz

I'll admit, looking at the responses and my OP, I am now really thinking about the GPSMAP 60 series. While I 'think' I'd prefer a touchscreen, I am find a massive amount of negative reviews on the screen glare. I have not been able to find one to test yet. I have always heard great things about the GPSMAP units and I suppose I am already used to toggles.

Admittedly, I was hoping I could get one touchscreen unit to act as a handheld and automotive and was willing to pay the price for that. It now seems I may be best served with a Garmin nuvi (for the directionless wife who uses Google Maps 2x a week)and a dedicated for my own purpose. It would probably even save me some coin.

I know this isn't where you guys are heading, but i would like to suggest a lower tech GPS receiver, like the Garmin Foretrex 401 which doesn't have a map display. Basically it pinpoints your location which you may then transfer to your paper map.

I suppose I like this procedure because I had been using paper maps for years before GPS came along and I started using the clunky, Stone Age GPS receivers that were mapless. I have just never been impressed with the quality of the electronic maps that were available for wilderness hiking.

Even the Foretrex 401 is a bit advanced for my luddite tendencies. I get along just fine with a 201 that is cheap, accurate, uncomplicated, and lightweight. I can hook it up to my laptop so that I can transfer waypoints and routes electronically if I so desire.

I agree with you that the Garmin 60 series is worth looking into.

I have the older 60CS and it has performed quite well for me.
The 60CSx is better.

My only recommendation is to offer caution about building a used or refurbished model. I've had my navigation students report that they don't last long. Garmin does stand by its warranty.

Best of luck.

Blake

I've also been considering getting a GPS, but am leaning towards the new eTrex 20.

I was initially thinking more along hikermor's recommendation and getting a non-mapping unit; I just didn't (and still really don't) think the extra cost of a mapping unit combined with the extra cost of the maps was worth it. However, after finding out that there are good quality, (legally!) free maps available for download (e.g., Ibycus Topo for Canada) I was swayed into thinking that the extra cost for a mapping unit alone would be worthwhile.

Looking at the current models, I am really not sure what the more expensive 62 series brings to the table that the new eTrex models don't (at least compared to the eTrex 20 & 30; the mapping units). It seems that the eTrex will do anything I'd need of it.

All that said, this would be my first outdoor GPS so I have no experience owning any model.

Either selection would be good.

In my GPS classes some folks are just frustrated by the touch screen display, find that it dims out in bright sunlight. Others, especially those with less steady had find the 62 as their choice.

I just did a comparison of the Garmin 20 vs. eTrek Vista and was impressed with the advances in techology.

Best of luck in your search.

Blake

www.outdoorquest.biz
www.outdoorquest.blogspot.com

Update.

While Christmas shopping yesterday, i was able to play with a Garmin Dakota, a touchscreen model. Quite unimpressed with the display. My (broken) DeLorme had a vastly higher quality screen resolution.

Having some history using other peoples GPSMAP units I think i am swaying that way again.

@Hikemor, I can completely understand your reticence in fully embracing the hardcore GPS mode of travel. I still prefer map/compass/UTM myself. The more I go along though, with my iPhone, my Galaxy Tab 7 Plus, yada, yada, yada, i am finding myself more and more comfortable with technology encroaching all areas of my life. I just found out my Gtab has an independent GPS system that doesn't require cell service or wifi, very cool. Doesn't mean I'd prefer to carry that adventuring.

Comms, I think any of the new Garmins would be a good buy, I try not to get into GPS recommendation arguments because it is like recommending knives to me. Everybody has their favorites and you can't convince anything different. If you have a bass pro shop near by, they will have the Montana, 30 and the CSX you can compare. If you want a nuvi and rugged GPS combo the Montana is the only one that will do this and has a very bright display. I use it with voice navigation when traveling. But it is very big and heavy, I am a touchscreen kind of user which steered me away from the 30, and I didn't care for the antenna that sticks out on the CSX, but the helicoil antenna does increase its accuracy and reception quite a bit.

I agree you can't go wrong with the CSX if that is what your after, I didn't want 2 GPSes, one for navigating and one for driving and I needed a big screen and with the updates on the unit has made it a very well GPS for me, but it is a pain lugging that big thing around, but it makes up for it with the feature. I wish there was a comparison on the antenna design on the Montana vs CSX. Anyway go with what is best for your needs, you can't go wrong with Garmin.

Falcon, thanks man. In fact there is a Bass Pro nearby. And a Cabelas about 40 miles away. It wouldn't be hard to go to either or REI. I have lots of time and ebay and craigslist as well.

Funny story. I got my wife a nuvi 2555LMT for Christmas, she couldn't tell you which way is North. Prints Google Maps for everything. so good for her.

I bought a Samsung Galaxy Tab 7 Plus last month and realized this week it has an independent GPS system in it, that doesn't require wifi, though its necessary for other functions associated with GPS like POI, etc. I can use Android apps even for the back country. Though I will not be taking a fragile tablet for a primary GPS.

Good deal Comms hopefully you will find something you will like.
Bottom line I don't think you could go wrong with any of the 3 garmins, it all depends on your requirements.

As for the Montana, I love my Montana, they originally pushed the hardware out before the software was ready. We are at 3.60 REV and I have contributed to one of the revisions. Garmin has been really great with any questions or problems I have had with in 16 hours max. Usually in under 8 hours most of the time. I had bought the unit with Lifetime US and EU maps. There is a cradle that you can buy for the car that gives the voice commands really loud.

Update history

http://www8.garmin.com/support/download_details.jsp?id=5335

Reviews

http://www.gpscity.com/garmin-montana-650-reviews.html

Comparison against Montana VS the new GPSMAP62STC (Half of the way points as Montana)

https://buy.garmin.com/shop/compare.do?cID=145&compareProduct=75227&compareProduct=89557

Also note, the max brightness of the unit with batteries gets even super bright when in the cradle. I have noticed that with my Dakota as well. Too bad you are so far out, I would show it to you if I wasn't so far out.

Sometime I've got to update my old Garmin.
It still works ... but a good one with mapping would be nice.

What I'm wondering is - just how good are these downloadable maps?
I went onto the Garmin web site (which I think is not well designed), and they do have a world map that can be downloaded. But that's not exactly highly specific. Suppose you are on the street in Karachi, Buenos Aires or Nairobi. It should be possible to get city maps from around the world that are downloadable. However, I don't see anyone who is offering this feature. In fact, ironically, it's probably more in the realm of the driving (nav) GPS's than the personal handheld models.

Doesn't really make sense - since Google Earth has got all this info in it. Seems like somebody could be doing a better job out there.

Pete2

Pete, my response may be amended by others, but the software provided by Garmin from my understanding is not quality. its 24k. The best maps are 100k or more. Those are available for a cost, usually by buying a preset SD card by city, state or region.

I understand that Garmin units allow you to download custom maps to the internal memory that Users create and post online. Those are often free and in great detail.

OOPS!

The largest (both in terms of scale and quantity) and best-known topographic series is the 7.5-minute, 1:24,000 scale, quadrangle, a non-metric scale virtually unique to the United States. Each of these maps covers an area bounded by two lines of latitude and two lines of longitude spaced 7.5 minutes apart. Nearly 57,000 individual maps in this series cover the 48 contiguous states, Hawaii, U. S. territories, and areas of Alaska near Anchorage, Fairbanks, and Prudhoe Bay.


A smaller topographic series, in terms of scale, is the 1:100,000 series. These maps are bounded by two lines of longitude and two lines of latitude. However, in this series, the lines of latitude are spaced 30 minutes apart and the lines of longitude are spaced 60 minutes, which is the source of another name for these maps; the 30 x 60-minute quadrangle series. Each of these quadrangles covers the area contained within 32 maps in the 7.5-minute series. The 1:100,000 scale series is unusual in that it employs the Metric system primarily. One centimeter on the map represents one kilometer of distance on the ground. Contour intervals, spot elevations, and horizontal distances are also specified in meters.

Garmin now sells both 24k and 100k so you can pick and choose. They also sell via dvd or pre-loaded on microSD card. If you buy the sdcard version I don't believe you can import on to your computer so your better off buying the dvd and then sending it to the gps.
Some of the free downloadable ones are very nice and they will layer on top of other maps if they are made transparent so they can supplement your existing maps.

Is there graphic software with which to create/draw objects as overlays on GPS maps? Examples: a circle centered at a specific lat/long with a radius of xx feet/miles/meters/km; a rectangle formed at given lat/long; polygon with corners at specific lat/long points. A line from point A to point whatever with all the waypoints in between.

There are a few map editors out there
http://www.gpsfiledepot.com/tutorials/

Note that the 100,000 series maps are pretty much useless for hiking; many of them are really out of date with respect to cultural features, like highways, which is alos the case with many maps in the 24,000 series; there at least the topography is dead on.

@Ponder.

My point of reference was to digital maps provided for a Garmin gps device not paper maps, thus the description of 24k, not 1:24,000

Per the info on TOPO U.S. 24K West DVD, it seems that Ponder is correct. Garmin's 24K refers to 1:24,000 maps.

Hikermor, I am still mulling units & over the last few days I have been rethinking my position, which coincides with your recommendation of the Foretrex 401.

I went back to some forum sites that mirror my type of lifestyle, training and needs and in the end I don't need mapping as much as I need the ability to plug in a grid coord (MGRS or L/L) and get there. As I wrote before I always have a map & compass on me, plus have a Gtab, iPhone & Garmin nuvi, that cover any city, road based traveling I need. I can easily use the 401 grid coord to find myself on any map.

REI sells these, so I will use my rebate to grab one next month to try out.

Thank you for being honest with your thoughts even though at that point in the thread it wasn't the popular consensus, even of my own.

If you don't need the Foretrex 401's barometer and electronic compass, the Foretrex 301 has the same high sensitivity receiver and is a tad less pricey. Both are very good receivers. I use a Foretrex 301 for all my non-mapping GPS needs.

Has anyone evaluated or does any have a Garmin Forerunner that they could provide a review on? I'm specifically considering the Forerunner 610 model.

I saw a post where MDinana said his wife had one, but didn't say the model or review it.

It's quite pricey, but I need/want both a new watch and another GPS (maps not necessary).

I had a HighGear compass watch but I had it strapped to some luggage and it got snagged in an airport x-ray machine, ended up busting out both edges of the plastic part of the case where the pins for the straps attach and the crystal seems to have a crack or at least a bad scratch. Given that the two items individually could total to close the cost of a Forerunner, I may seriously consider it if I can get some first hand reviews.

Thanks,

buckeye